Onion-harvester.



T. V13E YOUNG, JR.

ONION HMWBSTER.y APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1908.

Patented May 23, 1911.

T. DE YOUNG, Jn. 01110111 HARVESTER'. APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1908.'

' Panenned May 23, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. DE YOUNG, Jn.

oNIoN HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 11908.

Patented May 23, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

@MoN-Hum'LESTER.

Specifcorxim; of .lotti-rs otout.

To m7! whom i muy conservi.'

Be it known that fi, 'liuiziri Uu To fi-1u, irl= u oitizon of tho Uuitod wtuiu, rwiiiiuf; ut', South Hoihlut'l, iu the County oi Hooi: und Shit@ -'t"l1ii11ois, huw iuvoutmi :i i'vurtiuiu uow und usoiui luprovouumiy Y iu tluiou- 'axrvosters, of which tho foiiowiiigj u specification.

This?l iuvoutiru'i rohitou io :i uuu'hiiu i'or harvesting ouious us they grou' in tho iN-ui hither thoe raisod 'from Semi or iroui ww nu() for purpose of @ouvouimm. il, viii 'oo ltosoribrd iis :iu onion hurvf" ing uuufhiuv. but imuuifesiiy it, muy' hr: usld iu .hurrtrmi'iuif other iihuits :is for iruitzrutfo, rufiishr,

The object. opt tho iuvoni'ifm to provide a manchino Whiuh muy ho ':rfqgwihw'l hj/ uu;V suituhlo Source oi' power through :i iiuh'i of growing onions, or othur phuits :u: ,fautmh which machine wiii first ii'it 'up hu onion topa which are nbow, thvl ourtih trike hoh! ot thorn, loosen the mirth about, (he huh) oj tho ouioil, 'lift the outiro ouiou plaint out o'i thi: gifroui'ui, knock othfrmu thv proviously cov @rmi onion huh) tho vurih-viiugiuo; thr'riito, transport h@ @ritiro plum in-'furtiA up through the machiney to :i pointA :u whrh tho uuiou bulb is Severed 'from this top und, ".oiiwr iii huih or uoo'fui proihut iut() :i sau'uhh, roropiucle at the sumo iiruu tioiivoriufgr tho tous or other WuS'to product of tho piuut uit u, point udjuouni to tho lumfhiuo whoro thti sumo 'is not. in the way.

The invention couSisitS 'iu mechanism for accomplishing tho foregoing ohjoh; wln'uh onu he easiy und ohoupy 'mudo :1mi ius-,tui irri which if; ofiioieut, in oporoi'iou mui. iS not. roufh'ly liable to got out; oit orihr.

More iudotuii ii; oouuiuts iu tho ii'uliow ing porto and combination ol hurts, riz., moohmiism for Stuightouiug up tho onion tops before tho puiiiug und tilburg opera tion begins.; mechanism for ioosoniug thu @mth hir/fore und after Suid ogm-ation booms, me mism for lifting; tho hiulu outuit thiom'h and for 'than rum-eport; f' ii 'up througii the muohiiio to tho ou" Chiara; mocimnimu operating interinali-:1ue o' tho .hist mechzmism for knocking oi lomo pow tions of ourth from tho ph ruooha'iuisu'i for sovol'hg tho buil; "rom (u, iop of rho plaint; :i conveyor for ilrfuifipm'iog the hulh io a nio-:muro or @thor rmfophuavuti uuoiu r Coiwoyor rziochuuis u for zzurrj/.f'iug hu scrwoii topa ot" uit; om Sith; oi ihr :umhioo More iu detail. thu iuvifuiiou oouzeiuhi `is-x druun through tho {ioid Suid shafty is giroviiod with simhi :imi-dipping tooth 29,

'The ope'ating parts proper of the chine mounted in e :traine which will be, 'for purposes descriptioin to `ierefrfter broadly the under frame l susiended from the mechanism heretofore described. The longer sides of this under freine consist essentially of two parallel members, each mode up of the approximately rectangular member containing the ports 3G, 8l., 32, 33, 35 sind 36, secured by bolts 37 to the slightly inclined members 38. PThe parte B62 heretofore referred to are large enoueh so that they form bearings in which the shaft lil journaled; 'that .is tosey, erich of?. the parallel members of the under freine is iournnled upon this slmft or zwle 19 by ineens oft the member 34. These parallel rnemberljust described are held rigidly in parallel positionby various mechanisms :rnd 'parte attached thereto. the underside of the forward end of eeeh member 38 is an approximately horizont-.tl plete il? on the opposite upper side is another irregular shaped member These two membersijust described are secured to the end olf the member 38 by means of the bolts i5 or other suitable means. Through the lower member li und through-the portion all of the upper member just described which is at an angle to the plone et the plate 4l is o bolt Il@ haring o bend at the point 4.7, as liest shown in Fig. 5, the bolts on the opposite siderimf the frame being parallel to erich other. \ournoled upon the lower or upproximntely upright portion of euch bolt 46 is a belt wheel i8 und journaled upon the angular portion of each bolt is a sprocket wheel 50 adapted to have power communicated to it 'from the belt wheel 48 by means 'of pins 5l rigidly secured to the belt whccl ond loosely entering the sprocket wheel through suitable holes7 es best in Fig.

The lower end of euch bolt flo is secured by menus of the nuts to n treme member carrying' member These members resemble the runners oit smell sied, adopted to travel along' the ground. These tu'o members irre spced :Xpert by the hoe or cut ting member 56 adapted to soften the earth just before the onions :rre lifted from the earth.

Secured to the forward end ol thc sled member 51E-55 by menus of the bolts 5l' two braces 58 erich carrying upon its forward end :i piu\ 59 upon which journaled o small pulley 60 having o. l'lurige (Si on 'which :i sprocket chain o2 passing over this pulley 6l) and the adjacent sn'oclrct wheel 5G, heretoforedescribed7 Pivotully mounted upon suitable plus '535 upon euch sprocket chain (32 are outwardly c tending lingers, preferably mede of wire GG, havingextending from their pivotul por tions short arms o? adopted to travel upon and engage the com TO haring the straight ece 17h the semi-circuler tace 72 and the sreight sce 7B, as best seen in Fig. 3, the

shown in l? 1g. 3, when they reach the ontside of the machine, and might, therefore, with plants in. other rows than the one being harvested. This cam just described is secured upon the bolt 595 heret0- fore described7 end to the holt 46 by means of the plete '(7 sind the bolts 78. lt will also be noticed that es the chains 62 incline up-v ward from the ground toward the, conveyor proper, end es the center flacos of the chains or those toward each other converge in the direction of arrow the lingers 66 have both e gathering together and straightening action upon tops of the plants engaged by them as hereafter described.

Secured to the forward end of eoeh brace 555 nt is e wire member 81-82 having its opposite end 83 secured to the frame member 38 by menus of the bolt 45. ln this wire member isn sharp point 85, adapted to engage and hoe the earth. f.

lonrnaled in euch portion 30 und 34 of cach side member of the under fromeis zr vertical shaft 90 carrying neer its upper portion e beveled gear wheel 91 meshing with n larger gear wheel il?. mounted upon the moin driving; Shetl. i9 heretofore described, so that the rotation of this umili shaft 19 us the machine is drown through the field Communicn'lcs its powerful rotation through the rr-:irs 92 und 9i to these vertical shafts 90, igridly secured to cach Shaft 90 is n horizontal bclt whccl or pulley' 94. @vor cach of those pulleys .fl-l und the mljucent horizontal pulley Llll heretofore described, is nu endless belt UG so lhzit the power in euch pulley 94. is coruniunicutcd through the :rdjncenl pulley d8 to the adjacent sprocket rlmin Gil heretofore described.

The two endless bolts 9G rire held in contnf't with euch other by mechanism which consists in u plurality ol rollers 100, on one side olE lhe underllrluno, mounted in pairs upon links '101, 10Q. 103, ctc., so 'that euch pair oi rollers is flexible with retcrencelo thc next poil' ol rollers. the hind of flexibility rc scmhling' somewhat thnt ot' :in ordinary link chnin se on edge und :i corresponding set of stationery `rollers '05 mounted ndjoccnt to the opg'iosilie bolt. fis often :is need hc the llcxihle linlrs nre supported upon horizontal rods loll, best .sr-eu iu Fig. which ure slid ably mounhle liorizontully through the frnmc member 38 :rnd :ire spring pressed towurd the center of the machine by the lover members loll und the springs 1,09, said netion being utljnntzthle lu' nieuni; ot` the nut llt) threzuletl at. llt upon the holt lli). '.l`hese flexible link niountetl rollers ltttl urn :is shown unil ntutetl locutetl nlong the renter line. of the nnurhine :nul beur against, one belt heretofore tlescrihetl, :nul thus :unter the netion of the springs .10H hohl ity in elose rontuet with the opposite lielt en r 'ietl hy the rollers 105. This spring eonstrurtion nu\ he npplietl to the rollers 105 without leparting' ,from the spirit ol' this inrention. 'lhese liuketl rollers tot) unil the rollers` ltl nireA heltl in the suine horizontul vplune hy nieuns ot' plantes lll seein-ell hy :my suituhle menus upon the unller sides ot the luenihers ISH. ln other words these plut'es lll re senilile shelves extending!` troni the ulnler sitles ol,t these nnlruhers let on wnleh the rollers nre snpportetl. :is liest seen iu Fig. Il. und on whieh the [lexililerollers more horizontnll)v hiterull)r ol the nuu'hiue. 'lhere is suileient tlistnuee hetween the plates on op4 'posite sitles ot. the renter line o't the uuu-hine 5o that the onions whit-h ure to he worhetl upon hy the n'nnfhine nurv he eurrietl h r the heltis tto with or without the heit lLti to he hereu'ft'er tleseriheil through the niuehine hetween these pluies in the tlireetion ol' the arrow T5.

l'pon the uniler sitle ot' eueh putte;Y ttt heretofore tleseriliefl iS seeurerl n shurpenetl eireuliir rntt'ing knife llt lniring the shurpenetl etlge 1LT the two alieni-ing together :it the point ltv in tho center line ol' the nw.- ehine. Uno of these euttinp` wheelsl ltt hns proieetinnl lroln it lriring teeth :uluptetl to positively eun'ng'e onions or other protluet to he worked upon, ilelivereil hir the hells tu', :u the Sluurine point: lltv.

VNightly seeuretl utl some suituhle point upon the nntler frznne is u rusting lLl curry in j two pulleys` 122 unil lzlil over whirh posses n helt lrfi which, :1s fs'hown` pusses uroniul one holt Slt heretol'ore les'erihetl eurrietl by oneI set ol pulleys lll-@itt :unl thenee lietiween the two helts tlt3 being` supporti-1l hy flzuufes lill upon one holt .l't` 'lhe ell'eet` of this lutter construction is to gire u lirin grip hj/ tho oontuetiup,l helts ut, the center olt the nnuzhine 'for the purpose ol' eotuering the onionsl through tho nun-lune, us well :is to support heit t. s

Hull'ieient meelninisin nus now neen thv serilieil to uttenip't :i stuteinent ot tne opel-:e tion of tho nurhuuisiu heretofore llrserihetl. ills the nun'hine is propelled :iloun n row ol' onions lorut'etl on the renter line ot' the nniehine, the nnuhine moving4 iu :t tlireetion eontruryv to the urrowkT or to the lett` ol' hi: l :unl the points tfi trurel rlosr to the pjrountl :nul the wires S2 litft up the onion tops whit-h ure lying: upon the {gl-ouml :nl-v vpier-ut to the proiluet whit-h is to he hur .\s these wires lil't up the topnA` the ehnins tutte hohl ot lhein unil lift, tluun higher :unl :it the saune time puck theni together` so that us the uuu-hint: utlvnnces they slip in between :unl are grits-peil hy the :ulruneiug foruiurtl ends ot tho inter pressed heltsl fttmlj). As this tukes pluee, the hoo t` enggun'es the eurth. digs it, unil therefore helps to rel -use 'the onions from the girountl. 'l`he entire operntiug lneehunisln being when in \\'orkiuposition loeutetl on un ineline, :is shown in l"i; t. the eonreyiln;A heltfs' 516- 123 grznluully pull the onionsl ont olA the grourul` :unl enrr)v them to the sheur point ll'ts' where the knives llt sheur the onions l'ronx the tops :unl the onions proper tlrop tlown l'roin th(` knives either into u eon\'e},er, whit-h will he lnreul'ter tleseriheil, or onto the grouutl. while the tops ure rzlrrietl lietween the llelt lL :unl the lower l elt Stt ot Figs. L, Il :nul Yl. until theyx reneh the point lill) upproxiiuutelr :nljueent to the pulley 122). :it whieh the helt i127 lit-fins to more :twzrr from the :ulliueent hell .tt'. :nul the onion tops ure releuwit :nul ullowetl to trop upon the -grountl :it the siile oll the nnu'hine.

,lournnletl upon the ululer t'runu\:|t :luy suituhle points ure two shnl'ts lili unil ll eouueetetl hy n heli ll-l. 'lhe shuli't lr is power lriren lu' nlenns of peurs tlf :unl lilo troni the iuuin shutt ttt. 'l'he lower shult eotnuuutiezlter; power through hevel reno nu; lEt'm-tlft. to u wheel tilt) huriug projerting :n'ntfs l-lt loeutetl in the puth ot the onions trureling' through the uuu-lune in the umnner tleirihetl. This wheel llt) is so loeut'wl thnt the urlns ltl strike tht` onions heling'lrmisportefl tv r the helts titl-.133 :unl kwek ottl l'roin thein eloils olE eurth lnlngiue,` thereto prior to the tiine the onions proper nre severell l'roni the tops in the Inunner ileserilnftl. 'l`he nxerhunisiu operzuiup; the wheel is so eonstrueteit thut the :lrnis ou the wheel, when in operulire position truvel iu u tlirerlion opposite lo the pull! of lruvel otE the plunt` in the eon\e\'er therehy inereusing the torre ol the lilou tiren the hulhunll the eurth elingiug thereto.

lnunelliutely helow the entting knives heretofore tleserihml is n eon\'e \'er helt` 15() ot" the orllinury type :unl eonst'rnetion, ln1ring upon it liloek's 15k :nhlptetl7 :is the helt trurels. to eonrey onions` sereretl hy the ruttingg knires up to the pozfition 152, lroiu whit-h they-lull into suitnhle nienfnu'es or other reeeptneles l` eurrietl upon tho plut'- t'o'rnt ll iuountetl upon the lnneingr nxt-nihers li'i ut the reur ot' the xnuehiile. This eonroyer tilt) is tlriren h v u heltl 'L57 pnsSing over the pulley 15S uint u pulley 159 npon the shul't lili) luretol'ore tleserilietl.V

s horetoiore tleseriheil thisl entire Opor- :lting ineehunisin is pivotetl in the ineniliers lt. on the nluin shut't .15), l'roln ,which it, follows thut the t'orwuul einl olf the operating inorinp nuunhers titl cnrrieil hy the sproeket ineehnuisut nniy ttor pnrjoses, oi passing liu) lll)

om the end of one row of onions to the heginning of, another or for transportation from place to place be lifted out of the earth when` suitable mechanism is provided. This mechanism consists of an extension 162 otx one et' the belts 4G heretofore described, carrying at its upper end a loop 163 to which is comiected. a link ltlfl connected in turn to a bell crank lever mechanism 165%166, adapted to he manipulated by the operator upon the seat 2G. This lever mechanism contains a locking rod 167 and handle 16S adapted to manipulate a locking tooth 169 which engages a stationary tooth 170 to lock the parts in elevated position in exactly the same manner hay ralres and other similar farm mechanism are locked in elevated position.

The machine is propelled through the 'llfld preferably by means of a horse atl tached to thills 175 and whillletree 176, said thills being attached at approximately the center of the machine 17S, by mechanism Well lmown. in the art for use upon machines drawn along a .row ot' plants in a heid, which mechanism 'forms no part of my invention, and is not, therefore, described details ln order to prevent trouble with dirt the perating parts are in practice inclosed as rar possible in metallic cases 180 and 181.

lvaving thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters '.Patent, is:

l. lu mechanism of the class described, the combination with a cutting mechanism and a mechanism adapted to take hold. of

the plants and carry them to the cutting mechanism; a mechanism in front of said conveying mechanism adapted to pass along the sides/oit the plant tous as they lie upon the ground and gather .them toward the center of the row and another mechanism tioned mechanism before the conveying mechanism takes hold,

il. ln .mechanism of the class described,

ceases mechanismg-guiding members such as Wires 8l-82 adapted to litt from the ground portions et the tops of the plants extending to tie side of the row and a movable packing mechanism having packing lingers extending.

transversely of the row and moving along it adapted to gather up the remaining portion et the tops of the plants preparatory to their being grasped by the conveying mechanism.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a cutting mechanism and a mechanism adapted to take hold of the plants and carry them to the cutting mechanism; a mechanism for gathering together tops of the plants preparatory to being grasped by the conveying mechanism consisting in two endless chains, their supporting" pulleys and mechanism for rotating said pulleys to move said claims, mounted with one pulley for each chain adjacent to the grasping portieri of the conveyer and the other pulley for each chain adjacent to the ground, in combination with projecting fingers upon said chains as described, for the purposes set forth.

4i. ln mechanism of the class described, in plant top gathering and packing mechanism comprising two endless chains, suitably mounted pulleys therefor, mechanism for rotating said pulleys, fingers pivotally mounted upon said chains and cams for causing said fingers to project outwardly from the chains when they are in the space between the two chains and adapted to allow said ngers to lie flat against the chain during other portions ot their travel for the purposes described.

ln witness whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

TEUNIS DE YUNG, Jn.

Witnesses 2 llwmn'r B. Crinnvnu, C. J1 Cinns'rorFnL. 

